The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-03-03
THE BASILISK.
A STORY OF TO-DAY.

IN THE NORTH TOWER.


IN THE NORTH TOWER.
Bound, blindfolded, imprisoned! Mary
Fortescue helpless in the hands Of her
oppressors! Such were the thoughts
which with maddening pertinacity beat
in upon my brain as I lay helplessly
straining at the cords that bound me.
] was weak and uncrved, and the very
exigency Of the circumstances, instead
Of comforting unwonted power upon
me seemed to paralyze me. laying q
crushing weight upon my efforts, and,
for time upon my will.
After period Of fruitless and
fatiguing effort to loosen the cords with
which / was bound, l called what
patience could command, the
Of dire necessity-to my aid,
and, encouraged by the reflection that
l was at any rate outstanding my
strength. / lay still, and endeayoured to
reflect calmly upon my position.
Ny own fate did not trouble me
greatly. Two attempts had been made
upon my life, and it was evident
enough that in that house of secret
ways and means, of INSCRIPTIONS re-
source and inscriptions devotion
no security for my own safety
could be obtained, save by
flight, and that security seemed sufii-
GENTLY unattainable. But the agony
of the situation lay in the imminent
danger to which Mary was exposed.
The words of her note, the heartrending
appeal Of that little bitter-sweet cry for
help. burned before my blinded eyes in
the darkness. Carried off to the Con-
tinent in the power, possibly under the
conduct. of Plowitz! What worse fate
could fear for her? As lay revolving
the horrible condition of affairs, nearly
maddencd by the conflict of love. and
fear, and rage. and resentment, heard
distinctly the sound of wheels on the
gravel somewhere below. Doubtless
the carriage, come to take her away.
The sound revived my benumbed
energies. writhed and wrestled with
ny bonds all Intellectually. The cords
cut me, the sweat stood large upon my
forehead. In my struggles 1 pictured
the scene which was being enacted be-
low-thc face of Mary, pale, shrinking,
looking in vain for the helpwhich could
not come. Plowitz odiously polite. or
possibly. in an extreme case, Odiously
insolent. The ruflianly guardian, who
had robbed his ward. and was now an
active agent in her abduction-the pale
beautiful face of that unwomanly
woman, the evil genius Of the poor girl
against whom l could imagine no
woman's heart being steeled-with ter
ribly viyidness Imagination painted the
events in which was powerless TO in
tervene. the more terribly us I knew
from experience that fancy was re-
sponSible for none Of the terrOrs that
realised.
Hank! Again the sound of wheels
nnmistakable, though distant, rs II
muiiled by an intervening angle of the
house: louder for a moment, then
diminishing in distinctness, as OF q
carriage rapidly driving away. She
was gone! Beyond question she was
gone.
Was it fancy that seemed to show a
loosening Of the cords that bound meP
No. Ny struggles had had some effect
ut last. At last the rigOur of my
bondage was relaxed! ceased my
struggles to recover energy for fresh
effort. Carefully-fearfully, l again
essay to set myself free. Thank God,
the cords are loosened! With care and
patience now set about the task Of re-
covering the freedom of my limbs
Soon am rewarded. and sooner than
dared to hope. | have got one arm
free. In feverish haste l am about to
set To work OH the other cords. when !
hear step ut the door, aad a hand
upon the lock. Quickly l entangled
the released arm with its cast-of fasten-
ings, and place it under me. Then the
door is opened. and step advances
into the room. The bandage over my
eyes is not so deity fastened that can
not make out the presence of n light.
1t is brought close to me, and \ rustic
ri dress tells me that my visitor is .
woman.
WHO it it?' ask.
Your gaoler. Mr.. Coplestone," says
the voice of the Basilisk.
why am | hcrc?'
1T is for your safety. Ny father
and Herr Plowitz are your enemies.
You have not acted with discretion,
Mr.. Coplestone.
There was an unwarranted touch OF
sarcasm in the way she spoke which
angered me.
How can I act with discretion
herep What is discretion in house Of
mystery and cruelty like this?"
Discretion here, as elsewhere, is to
know ones friends" she said.
Are yon my friend?'
.sYou should have known that long
ago."
..Then why am treated thus?"
Il have told you-it is for your
safety
ut is for my safety that / am blind
folded, as well rs bound?'
1T was better SO. But there is no
need for it now. will take of the
bandagc from your eyes. it you will
give me little gratitude
Il will give you no gratitude. What
have they done with Mary?'
Really, Mr.. Coplestone. you are
given to forgetting your position here.
Miss Fortescue has gone away; but she
did not desire me to inform you OF her
movements
She said this with icy GOODNESS. and
was moving away. Suddenly she re-
turned. She stopped over me, and took